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mjporterauthor's review against another edition
5.0
A stunning novel. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy.
The Last Hours is a wonderful book. I can't recommend it enough. It's been some time since something has hooked me so entirely and I was thoroughly engrossed by the characters, time period and the portrayal of the Black Death and its devastating consequences. The fact that I now want to research the time period more, is a sure sign that the novel has well and truly drawn me in.
Social upheaval lies at the heart of The Last Hours, with the juxtaposition of the 'status quo' of the Norman 'overlords' against the perceived possibilities of a future for the serfs of Develish, where they've paid their way out of their serfdom, which gains momentum when the implications of the devastation to the population of Dorsetshire starts to be understood and comprehended by those in isolation. Coupled with the influence of the Church, as directed by the Papacy, and a more enlightened Christian doctrine as understood by Lady Anne, raised in a nunnery, social strife is inevitable in the confined space of the seclusion on the moated manor house of Lady Anne's dead husband.
This is a novel that weaves many threads, and while the images of the devastated villages might be the most haunting, with unburied bodies and an explosion of the rat population, it is the combination of all the stories, that makes this such a rich tapestry. I am only pleased that I have Book 2 to read immediately!
The Last Hours is a wonderful book. I can't recommend it enough. It's been some time since something has hooked me so entirely and I was thoroughly engrossed by the characters, time period and the portrayal of the Black Death and its devastating consequences. The fact that I now want to research the time period more, is a sure sign that the novel has well and truly drawn me in.
Social upheaval lies at the heart of The Last Hours, with the juxtaposition of the 'status quo' of the Norman 'overlords' against the perceived possibilities of a future for the serfs of Develish, where they've paid their way out of their serfdom, which gains momentum when the implications of the devastation to the population of Dorsetshire starts to be understood and comprehended by those in isolation. Coupled with the influence of the Church, as directed by the Papacy, and a more enlightened Christian doctrine as understood by Lady Anne, raised in a nunnery, social strife is inevitable in the confined space of the seclusion on the moated manor house of Lady Anne's dead husband.
This is a novel that weaves many threads, and while the images of the devastated villages might be the most haunting, with unburied bodies and an explosion of the rat population, it is the combination of all the stories, that makes this such a rich tapestry. I am only pleased that I have Book 2 to read immediately!
mjporterauthor's review
5.0
A stunning novel. Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy.
The Last Hours is a wonderful book. I can't recommend it enough. It's been some time since something has hooked me so entirely and I was thoroughly engrossed by the characters, time period and the portrayal of the Black Death and its devastating consequences. The fact that I now want to research the time period more, is a sure sign that the novel has well and truly drawn me in.
Social upheaval lies at the heart of The Last Hours, with the juxtaposition of the 'status quo' of the Norman 'overlords' against the perceived possibilities of a future for the serfs of Develish, where they've paid their way out of their serfdom, which gains momentum when the implications of the devastation to the population of Dorsetshire starts to be understood and comprehended by those in isolation. Coupled with the influence of the Church, as directed by the Papacy, and a more enlightened Christian doctrine as understood by Lady Anne, raised in a nunnery, social strife is inevitable in the confined space of the seclusion on the moated manor house of Lady Anne's dead husband.
This is a novel that weaves many threads, and while the images of the devastated villages might be the most haunting, with unburied bodies and an explosion of the rat population, it is the combination of all the stories, that makes this such a rich tapestry. I am only pleased that I have Book 2 to read immediately!
The Last Hours is a wonderful book. I can't recommend it enough. It's been some time since something has hooked me so entirely and I was thoroughly engrossed by the characters, time period and the portrayal of the Black Death and its devastating consequences. The fact that I now want to research the time period more, is a sure sign that the novel has well and truly drawn me in.
Social upheaval lies at the heart of The Last Hours, with the juxtaposition of the 'status quo' of the Norman 'overlords' against the perceived possibilities of a future for the serfs of Develish, where they've paid their way out of their serfdom, which gains momentum when the implications of the devastation to the population of Dorsetshire starts to be understood and comprehended by those in isolation. Coupled with the influence of the Church, as directed by the Papacy, and a more enlightened Christian doctrine as understood by Lady Anne, raised in a nunnery, social strife is inevitable in the confined space of the seclusion on the moated manor house of Lady Anne's dead husband.
This is a novel that weaves many threads, and while the images of the devastated villages might be the most haunting, with unburied bodies and an explosion of the rat population, it is the combination of all the stories, that makes this such a rich tapestry. I am only pleased that I have Book 2 to read immediately!
cheekylaydee's review against another edition
4.0
Who'd have thought that crime author Minette Walters had hidden talents in the realms of historical fiction?! Well written, well researched and it does what a good book inevitably does for me, it encourages me to read more! Now I want to know more about the Black Death. I'll probably read those whilst I wait for the next instalment!
bethsponz's review against another edition
4.0
A very good tale about the Black Plague. All the characters were intriguing and I never got bored with it. I’m so glad there is another one that continues the story!
bethghoul's review against another edition
4.0
Compelling, epic, and often quite unpleasant exploration of the black plague's effect on a manor house and its residents (in England? Though they talked a lot about being French? I don't know history).
Obviously especially interesting to read about the spread of a plague in 2023. Explores themes of class, wealth, privilege.
Also less people dying of the plague than I expected.
Obviously especially interesting to read about the spread of a plague in 2023. Explores themes of class, wealth, privilege.
Also less people dying of the plague than I expected.
evelikesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Body horror
Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Incest
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
2.0
Unlike many people who will be picking up this book, I've not read any of Minette Walters' thrillers, although I may have seen adaptations on the telly. Neither am I a fan of historical fiction of this period but I was drawn to The Last Hours by the plague aspect and the local connection.
The year is 1348 and a pestilence is spreading through Dorsetshire. In the demesne of Develish, the Lord is a horrid piece of work and his daughter isn't much better. Lady Anne on the other hand is a thoroughly modern woman for the time, having learnt about quarantine from her time in a convent. Thaddeus is a bastard serf, despised by his family for falling far from the tree in both looks and temperament. He has learnt a great deal from Lady Anne, including how to read and write.
There is a bit of an infodump at the start to establish these characters and I felt they were a bit flat throughout, with the writing having a formal and impersonal feel to it. The daughter, Eleanor, was hard to take seriously. She hates her mother, and when her rotten father succumbs to the plague (huzzah) she is in complete denial about the dangers and the fact everyone needs to pull together to survive. She has repeated strops, she should deserve some sympathy by the end but she doesn't seem to realise anything. The whole plot with her makes you think worse of Lady Anne too, maybe she is neglecting her daughter in favour of the serfs.
There's not a huge amount about the plague really. Considering it is from the perspective of the time as well as a community that goes into quarantine this is understandable. It's more like a survival story, a bit of historical post-apocalyptic fiction. However it generally was lacking tension, with small bursts of drama but I ended up skimming a lot in the final quarter.
What there is a lot of, however, is an explanation of the feudal system and how everyone had their place in society, and for most that place was a slave. Eleanor represents the old system but others in the demesne soon come to realise that titles mean very little in the face of such a plague. I did wonder if some of it was a little too modern. Lady Anne is quite socialist in her views compared to what would be normal at the time. I would be interested in reading how the plague changed social structures in England if this was the case.
Religion plays a bit part in their lives but it is quite damning over the Church of the time. The priest of Develish is a bit of a stereotype; drunk, corrupt and pervy. I had trouble not imagining him as Father Jack. There is apparently a sequel and I don't think I would have picked it up knowing that it wasn't a standalone.
Warning, rape is talked about quite casually by some of the characters. It would be naive to think it didn't happen during this period but it did make it a bit hard to empathise with them.
The year is 1348 and a pestilence is spreading through Dorsetshire. In the demesne of Develish, the Lord is a horrid piece of work and his daughter isn't much better. Lady Anne on the other hand is a thoroughly modern woman for the time, having learnt about quarantine from her time in a convent. Thaddeus is a bastard serf, despised by his family for falling far from the tree in both looks and temperament. He has learnt a great deal from Lady Anne, including how to read and write.
There is a bit of an infodump at the start to establish these characters and I felt they were a bit flat throughout, with the writing having a formal and impersonal feel to it. The daughter, Eleanor, was hard to take seriously. She hates her mother, and when her rotten father succumbs to the plague (huzzah) she is in complete denial about the dangers and the fact everyone needs to pull together to survive. She has repeated strops, she should deserve some sympathy by the end but she doesn't seem to realise anything. The whole plot with her makes you think worse of Lady Anne too, maybe she is neglecting her daughter in favour of the serfs.
There's not a huge amount about the plague really. Considering it is from the perspective of the time as well as a community that goes into quarantine this is understandable. It's more like a survival story, a bit of historical post-apocalyptic fiction. However it generally was lacking tension, with small bursts of drama but I ended up skimming a lot in the final quarter.
What there is a lot of, however, is an explanation of the feudal system and how everyone had their place in society, and for most that place was a slave. Eleanor represents the old system but others in the demesne soon come to realise that titles mean very little in the face of such a plague. I did wonder if some of it was a little too modern. Lady Anne is quite socialist in her views compared to what would be normal at the time. I would be interested in reading how the plague changed social structures in England if this was the case.
Religion plays a bit part in their lives but it is quite damning over the Church of the time. The priest of Develish is a bit of a stereotype; drunk, corrupt and pervy. I had trouble not imagining him as Father Jack. There is apparently a sequel and I don't think I would have picked it up knowing that it wasn't a standalone.
Warning, rape is talked about quite casually by some of the characters. It would be naive to think it didn't happen during this period but it did make it a bit hard to empathise with them.
heffalumpwoozle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
medievaljenga's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0